JPJ detects fraud driving licence scam

A busload of issues: Janagarajan (middle) and Che Ibrahim (left) at the team development course at Jalan Wilayah Timur in Kota Baru. — Bernama

KOTA BARU: There is a widespread scam involving forged driving licences which is thriving on social media, says the Road Transport Department (JPJ).

JPJ deputy director-general (management) M. Janagarajan appealed to drivers to exercise more caution when obtaining driving licences and not become victims of forged licences.

“The licence is not a legitimate one. It is an offence committed by scammers whereby this ‘licence’ has no record nor does it exist in the JPJ system.

“If a driver obtains a licence by this means, he or she doesn’t actually own a valid licence and needs to remember that it is fake,” he said, Bernama reported.

He said this during a press conference after a ceremony to close a team develop- ment course for drivers of Express Bus Konsortium E-Mutiara Bhd at the Jalan Wilayah Timur Transport Academy here yesterday.

Also present were Road Transport Academy director Mohd Kifli Ma Hassan, Kelantan JPJ director Mohd Misuari Abdullah and executive chairman of Consortium E-Mutiara Bhd Che Ibrahim Che Ismail.

Janagarajan said his department had identified many victims of licence scammers and action was being taken through the JPJ’s driving licensing integrity department.

“The modus operandi of these scammers is to offer advertisements on social media saying that the document is a valid licence when in fact, it is not valid.

“Some victims make payments and are issued with what is a fake licence. There are also victims who complain that the scammer’s account is closed and cannot be traced once payment is made,” he said.

He said that through cooperation with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and police, court action would be taken against the suspects.

“What the public needs to remember is that any holder of this fake licence can only use it for a short time before this forgery is detected when the driver tries to renew their driving licence the following year,” he said.